Maria Chen-Pascual

THE promise of leather, lace and distressed denim and a Metallica soundtrack may have all the makings of a Hell's Angel convention, but <B>Maria Chen</B>'s show last night was an altogether softer affair. Here the classic rock samples were offered up, devoid of screeching vocals and electric guitar, by a classical quartet positioned at the head of the catwalk. "Think disused factories and embittered romanticism," said the models' walking-brief backstage, which produced the regular moody stance from the lads and lasses trooping the runway in all manner of distressed gear. Anyone familiar with Chen's work will be au fey with the signature antiquey effects she achieves by washing, bleaching, pressing and even burning her clothes to toughen them up and make them "less girly". Sampling from here and there, Chen mixes her references like a DJ. This time, an old <I>Daily Mirror</I> printing press had marked a few long-sleeved granddad shirts and the lining of a coat tied roughly around one model's waist. One cardi was given a touch of Disney with a Mickey Mouse head appliqued to "add humour". Highlights included baggy paratrooper trousers, a long tie-dyed coat in Chen's characteristic treated denim, raw-seamed riding jackets in toxic tomato red, sumptuous cream hoodies and a grey army jacket which turned to reveal a huge pleat at the back, pulled in with a waterfall of gold and silver safety pins. It was all in the mix, according to Chen, who by juxtaposing soft and hard fabrics and light and dark sentiments really upped the ante this season, with the help of show stylist Karl Plewka. By Lucy Ryder Richardson (February 19 2002, AM)